Iceland

Government System
By Annawade Stevenson April, 5th, 2017

Background
The Icelandic government is a
republic that has a constitution,
and parliamentary form of
government. There is an
executive, judicial, and legislative
power in the country. The parliament and the
president jointly exercise legislative power, the
judiciary has judicial power and the cabinet has
supreme executive power, not the president! Similar to
the U.S, the Icelandic constitution states that power
resides in the people and is based on representative
democracy.
Government
structure and
parliament
The head of the government is the prime minister. The
cabinet stays in power until a new government is formed. The
president and the leaders of the parties are able to change the
type of government Iceland has. The two main political
parties are the social democrats (SP) and the Independence The President of Iceland
Party (IP). The ministers participate in parliament and
discuss the issues with the area they are in charge in such as The President is elected by direct popular vote for a
finance. The Icelandic Parliament is called Althingi and is one term of four years, with no term limit. The president
of the oldest parliaments in Europe. The Parliament is is supposed to be party-neutral and plays a
composed of 63 delegates. The members have parliamentary representative role. Today the 6th president of
immunity and swear allegiance to the Constitution. The Iceland is Guni Th. Jhannesson and first lady is
Parliament convenes on October 1 each year, starting a new
Eliza Reid who took office in 2016. Icelands
legislative session
president holds a largely ceremonial position
Electoral System
act a acting as a
Parliamentary elections, municipal elections and
presidential elections are held every four years, and guarantor of the
anyone can vote above age 18. In the Icelandic constitution and
parliamentary elections, voters choose between ballots, national unity (The
formed by the political parties. Iceland has a ballot list guardian, 2016).
election system. Candidates on the ballots are all
members of their respective political parties. Iceland is
divided into 6 areas or constituencies, and each party
runs different lists in each of the constituencies.

Each constituency has

Other important governmental figures:
nine constituency seats
in parliament for a total Prime Minister: Bjarni Benediktsson Minister of Tourism and Innovation: rds Kolbrn R. Gylfadttir
of 63 seats, awarded on Minister of Justice: Sigrur . Andersen Continued on page 2

the basis of the outcome Minister of Foreign Affairs: Gulaugur r rarson Minister of Education: Kristjn r Jlusson
of voting.

APA Citations
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triple-result/
The Gaurdian, A. (2016, June 26). Guni Jhannesson wins Iceland's presidential election.
Retrieved April 06, 2017, from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/26/history-
professor-gudni-johannesson-wins-iceland-presidential-election
Hafsta, V. (2016, September 23). Female Rebellion in Independence Party. Retrieved April 06,
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party

Hafsta, V. (2017, January 11). Introducing the Icelandic Government. Retrieved April 06, 2017,
from http://icelandreview.com/news/2017/01/11/introducing-icelandic-government
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from
http://icelandmonitor.mbl.is/news/politics_and_society/2016/08/01/icelanders_celebrate_a_
new_president_today/
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